The scientific community has approached health science in recent years with a vigor unprecedented in recent memory. The mass media, as expected, has followed suit, resulting in an endless stream of reporting that is inconsistent, confusing, and of far too great a volume to even begin to scratch the surface.
      The ability to focus on the specific issues that are most relevant to the widest audience is a subjective challenge, at best. Nevertheless, in Hot Topics, Preventive Health Today’s newest section, we will attempt to single out at least a few of the topics that seem to have the widest appeal.
      What follows are the first few articles in our newest endeavor.

      Bogus Bioterrorism Defense Products
      Breast Self-Examination Pad Now Available
      Cholesterol-Lowering Fiber Supplement
      Dietary Fiber
      Dietary Intake Guidelines
      The "Fat Gene"
      Health Fraud
      Homocysteine
      Hormone Replacement Therapy
      Hormone Replacement Therapy Revisited
      New Weight Loss System Worthy of Note
      Weight Management

      The market is flooded with diet plans and weight loss products. It’s no wonder people seeking to lose weight are often confused when looking for safe and effective means to help them reach their weight loss goals. After two years of research and development, one company triumphantly introduces a groundbreaking, ephedra-free weight management system. Many people are already reporting weight loss success and praising the compatibility of the system with today’s lifestyle.   [ more info ]

      The untoward effects of estrogen-progestin combination type of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) continue to be a concern to most perimenopausal and menopausal women. A recent study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has revealed that HRT may be responsible for memory loss in older women.   [ more info ]
      Additionally, please see original advisory on hormone replacement therapy.

      One of the worst fears women have is hearing the words, “You have breast cancer.” This is not surprising since 1 out of every 8 women in the U.S., and many others in the international community will hear those dreaded words. Routine breast self-examination, along with regular mammography screening, significantly increases the likelihood of early cancer detection. Now available as a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated medical device, the BSE Pad™ is designed to enhance the sense of touch during the exam.   [ more info ]

      The relationship between cholesterol and weight management, and overall risk prevention for heart disease, is very well documented. The issue for most individuals who are concerned about their health in this regard, is how to best manage their cholesterol. It is of considerable interest that a dietary fiber supplement has been shown to contribute significantly to this end.   [ more info ]

      Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a matter of considerable concern to most perimenopausal and menopausal women. The messages from the medical community and the media have been contradictory, and confusing at best. Very recent findings have perhaps shed some useful light at last on this treatment.   [ more info ]

      Health complications from excess body weight is one of the most common causes of premature death in the United States, and other western societies. Poor weight management, leading to obesity, has reached epidemic proportions and affects more than half of all adults in the U.S. Here is the latest from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on how to manage your weight.   [ more info ]

      The events surrounding the unfortunate exposure of civilians to anthrax spores through the United States mail have elicited the expected spate of unscrupulous "treatments" and "remedies" in the dietary supplement industry. Fortunately, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken action against distributors of such fraudulent products.   [ more info ]
      The FTC has also released an update to their original investigation  [ update info ], and [ action taken ] in the cases.

      There have always been, and will continue to be "quacks" and purveyors of "snake oil" in health care. The advent of the Internet has aggravated this old bane, particularly as it relates to the use of dietary supplements. A recent statement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before the U.S. Senate, Special Committee on Aging addresses the latest issues on this important topic.   [ more info ]

      Dietary fiber is not a health gimmick, nor a passing nutritional fad. Over the course of many years, numerous reports have eluded to the potential benefits of fiber in the diet. Considered research in the biomedical community is a necessarily slow process, and some of the finer points that substantiate these benefits are finally coming to the fore, not to mention a redefinition of terms of what fiber is, and the role it plays in human nutrition.   [ more info ]

      Homocysteine seems to turn up more often than ever as the media’s new “darling” on health related subjects. Just what is this substance, and what is its role in preventive health?   [ more info ]

      Is there really such a thing as a "fat gene" that creates a hereditary disposition to obesity? We are now beginning to get at least a few answers...   [ more info ]

      The data that underlies the Reference Daily Intakes (RDIs) on food labels in the U.S. is based upon science decades old. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is in the process of a complete reevaluation of dietary requirements... are you aware of their newest findings?   [ more info ]